Ironing machine



p 1-- F. K. MUELLER 2,255,392

IRONING MACHINE Filed June 19, 1939 I HHNIIIHIIllllllllllllllll mm4m4;

Patented Sept. 9, 1941 IRONING MACHINE Frederick K. Mueller, Berwyn, Ill., assignor to Conlon Corporation, Cicero, llll., a corporation of Illinois Application June 19, 1939, Serial No. 279,781

4 Claims.

This invention relates to ironing machines, and has to do with machines of the type having a rotating roll and a cooperating shoe moved to and from the roll by means of a rockably mounted shoe operating shaft.

It frequently happens that users of ironing machines of the type referred to, when ironing blankets and like articles, fold the articles a number of times before passing them between the shoe and the roll in the ironing operation. That subjects the shoe supporting means and associated parts to severe stresses which ma result in injury to or breakage of parts of the machine. In order to reduce that probability of damage, I provide means whereby the shoe operating shaft may bend or flex to a limited extent, when subjected to abnormal stresses by the reaction pressure of the shoe, suflioient to permit increased movement of the shoe away from the roll, under pressure, to accommodate the excessive thickness of the article being ironed while preventing bend ing or flexing of the shaft to such an extent as to cause objectionable wear of or damage to the shaft and the parts associated therewith. Preferably, the shoe supporting and operating means includes means for holding the shoe in yielding pressure contact with the articles being ironed, such yielding means being supplemented, to a certain extent, in the cases referred to where excessively thick articles are passed between the roll and the shoe, by the flexing or bending of the shoe operating shaft which then acts as a powerful spring. Within the broader aspects of my invention, however, the yielding means included in the shoe supporting means may be omitted, and the shoe supporting and operating shaft and associated parts may be made sufficiently flexible to serve as spring means for yieldingly holding the shoe in contact with articles being ironed, while also accommodating excessive embodying my invention, the legs of the machine being broken away in maj'orportion; I

Figure Zis an outer end view of the gear housing, with the cover plate partly broken away and the housing and adjacent portions of the supporting structure shown in section; I

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure I;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5-4 of Figure 1, on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 but showing a modified form of stop means.

I have illustrated my invention, by way of example, as embodied in an ironing machine comprising a supporting structure or stand having a top bed plate 6 with a depending peripheral flange 7 to which are suitably secured depending supporting legs 8. A gear housing 9, having a removable outer cover plate i0 is suitably secured to bed plate 6 at one end thereof, conveniently by means of flanges H and bolts l2, the latter passing through flanges i l, bed plate 6 and reinforcing angle strips !3 extending lengthwise of the bed plate beneath the latter and Welded thereto.

The construction of the machine shown in Figure 1 is similar to that of the machine disclosed in Patent No. 2,026,345, issued December 31, 1935, to Rudolph W. Janda, and a brief description thereof will sufiice. The gear housing 9 projects upward above bed plate 6 and rotatably supports, in the manner disclosed in the above identified patent, a padded roll It which extends inward from gear housing 9 over the bed plate 6. Roll l4 cooperates with a suitably formed electrically heated shoe It. This shoe is pivotally mounted on the upper end of a shoe supporting arm [6 the lower end portion of which is bifurcated and is loosely mounted on the inner end portion of a shoe operating shaft I7, carrying an arm I 8 fixed to shaft H and extending upward therefrom. The upper end of arm i8 is forked for reception of the neck portion of a coupling member i 9 pivotally mounted on arm 86 for movement about an axis extending lengthwise of shoe l5, by means of a cruciform member 295. The coupling member i9 is in the form of a rod slidable through member 26, having at its inner end a head 2| and provided at its outer or rearward end with a knob 22 suitably secured thereto. A compression spring 23, disposed about the rearward portion of coupling member E9, is confined between knob 22 and a cup washer 24, through which member l9 passes, seating against member 20 Suitable means is provided for adjusting the compression of spring 23. Such means is shown in the above identified patent and is also shown, more in detail, in Patent No. 1,867,839, issued July 19, 1932, to Rudolph W. Janda, for Ironing machine. Since the particular means for varying the compression of spring 23 is not of the essence of the present invention, such means need not be described in greater detail, it sufl icing to state that suitable means is provided whereby the compression of the spring may be adjusted. A release lever 25 is suitably connected to member 25 for moving the latter about its axis, this lever being movable from its operative position shown in Figure 1 into an inoperative position in which it does not extend above shoe I5, the manner in which lever 25 is connected to member 20 for adjustment in the manner stated being disclosed in Patent No. 2,026,345. When the lever 25 is swung rearward away from shoe I5, with corresponding turning movement of member 28, the coupling member i9 is disengaged from arm I8 and the shoe supporting arm i5, together with shoe 15, may then be swung rearward about shaft l! for moving the shoe away from the roll. By swinging lever 25 upward and forward, with corresponding movement of arm [5 and member l9, the latter member is engaged with the upper end of arm 58 thus coupling the arms I6 and I8 together for movement as a unit, shoe I5 being then coupled to the shoe operating shaft II for movement therewith. When shaft 17 is rocked in a clockwise direction, as viewed from its inner end, shoe 9 5 is moved toward the roll Id into contact therewith and is maintained, by spring 23, in yielding contact with articles being ironed and passing between the shoe and the roll.

Shoe operating shaft ll extends through a bearing sleeve 21 secured, at its outer end, in a tubular boss 28 extending inward from, and conveniently formed integral with, gear housing 9. Sleeve 2? extends from boss 28 inward over bed plate 6, being spaced a short distance above this plate, and shaft liextends beyond the inner end of sleeve 2'1, arms I5 and i8 being mounted upon such extension of the shaft. A bearing bushing 29 is suitably secured in the inner end portion of sleeve 21, providing a bearing for shaft ii, there preferably being a similar bushing secured within sleeve 27, adjacent the outer end thereof, providing an outer bearing for shaft 11. With the exception of the mounting of sleeve 21 in boss 28, this sleeve and shaft I? are free from the bed plate 6 and, being of considerable length, are capable of transverse flexing, particularly in a direction away from the shoe, when subjected to abnormal stresses by the reaction of the shoe exerting pressure upon articles being ironed. The sleeve 21 and the shaft i! may be sumciently rigid, in cases where the spring 23 or equivalent means is employed, to assure that they will not be flexed to any appreciable extent during normal use of the machine, while being capable of flexing rearward when articles of excessive thickness are being passed through the machine, such as above referred to. This rearward flexing of the sleeve and the shaft, under abnormal conditions, supplements the action of the spring 23 in yieldingly urging the shoe toward the roll, and reduces danger of injury to the machine under abusive conditions of use such as those referred to.

It is desirable that excessive rearward flexing of shaft l1 and sleeve 21, such as might cause binding of parts or objectionable wear of bearings, be prevented. To that end I provide means whereby flexing of the shaft and the sleeve is resisted and limited. In Figure 4 I have shown an L-shaped stop member 36 secured to bed plate 6, conveniently by means of a bolt 31 passing through the bed plate and the upper arm of the rear angle strip 13, this bolt receiving, on its lower end, a nut 32 and an associated spring washer 33. The vertical arm 30a of stop mem ber 30 is spaced a considerable distance in rear of sleeve 21, adjacent the inner end thereof, and is provided at its forward face with a centering stud 34 suitably secured thereto. A compression spring 35 seats at its outer end against the forward face of arm 35a and about stud 34, th forward end of spring 35 seating against the back of a block 36 and about a stud 31 projecting rearward from this block. The front face of block 36 is transversely concaved on the same radius as sleeve 3'1, and fits about the back portion of this sleeve at the central area thereof. In practice, the compression spring 35 is quite strong and 0ffers increasing resistance to rearward flexing of shaft I1 and sleeve 21, cooperating with stop 30 to limit such flexing of the shaft and the sleeve while supplementing the spring action thereof in urging the shoe toward the roll. Stop member 30 is provided with a suitably shaped and disposed element 38 which limits rearward movement of arm it when it is uncoupled from arm I8.

In the modified form shown in Figure 5, an L-shaped stop member 39 is secured to bed plate 6 with its vertical arm 39a extending upward above the axis of sleeve 21 and disposed a short distance rearward thereof, in the normal unfleXed condition of the sleeve and the shaft. Arm 39a of member 39 provides a positive stop limiting rearward flexing of sleeve 27 and shaft ll. Stop member 39 is provided with a suitably shaped and disposed element 38a for limiting rearward movement of arm [5, about shaft 11', when this arm is uncoupled from arm 18.

While I preferably provide the bearing sleeve 21, through which the shoe operating shaft l1 extends, that is not essential to the broader concept of my invention and, if desired, bearing sleeve 21 may be omitted. In such case the stop means may be appropriately associated with shaft 11, preferably adjacent the inner end portion of this shaft. In cases where the sleeve 21 is provided, the stop means may be associated with this sleeve, as shown, or with the shaft, as desired. Also, my invention comprehends omission of the spring 23 or equivalent means, shaft II, or this shaft and the sleeve 27, being of proper resiliency and suitably arranged for holding the shoe in yielding pressure contact with articles being ironed, while being capable of increased rearward flexure, limited by the stop means, to accommodate articles of excessive thickness passing between the roll and the shoe.

In general, the ironing machine herein disclosed is of known construction and operation. Any suitable means may be provided for driving the roll and imparting rocking movement to the shaft [1. Preferably, however, I employ the operating means disclosed in Patent No, 2,054,631, issued September 15, 1936, to Rudolph W. J anda, for Ironing machine. An electric motor 40 is suitably mounted beneath bed plate 5 and has a driving connection to a worm shaft 4| upon which is secured a worm 2 meshing with a worm wheel 43. The latter wheel has appropriate driving connection to the roll 14, with suitable control means, such as disclosed in Patent No. 2,054,631, which need not be described here in detail, it suhicing to note that suitable means is provided for driving the roll. For imparting rocking movement to shaft IT in desired direction, a clutch and eccentric assembly 44 is provided, which actuates an arm 45 connected, at its rearward end by a universal connection 46, to an arm 41 depending from and secured on the roll, a shoe operating shaft rockably mounted outer end of shaft l1, within gear housing 9. When it is desired to move the shoe l5 to the roll M, the clutch means of the assembly 44 is actuated and acts, through the associated eccentric, to move arm 45 toward the right, as viewed in Figure 2, thus turning shaft i! in counterclockwise direction and moving the shoe toward the roll, the clutch means of assembly 44 being disengaged when the shoe has been moved into full cooperating relation to the roll. In order to move the shoe away from the roll, the clutch means of assembly 44 is again engaged, the eccentric of this assembly then acting to move arm 45 in the opposite direction, turning shaft I! in clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, thus moving the shoe I6 rearward away from the roll, the clutch means of assembly M being automatically disengaged when shoe [5 has been moved the proper distance rearward. Since the particular means for driving the roll and operating the shoe shaft is not of the essence of the instant invention, and any other suit able means may be used for that purpose, a detailed description of such means is not thought to be necessary here, it sufficing to note that any suitable means is provided for the purpose stated.

As above indicated, and as will be understood by those skilled in this art, changes in construction and arrangement of parts of my invention may be resorted to Without departing from the field and scope thereof, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which the preferred forms only of my invention have been disclosed.

I claim:

1. In an ironing machine, a support comprising a bed plate, a gear housing secured to said support adjacent one end thereof, a roll extending inward over said plate from said housing, a shoe operating shaft rockably mounted at its outer end in said support there confined against radial movement and extending inward therefrom over said plate, a shoe cooperating with said roll mounted on said shaft remote from said outer end thereof for movement away from and toward said roll intopressure contact with articles being ironed, by rocking of said shaft, the latter being free from said bed plate at its inner end and capable of transverse flexing in a direction away from said roll, when subjected to stress by the reaction of the pressure exerted by said shoe on articles being ironed, and stop means limiting said flexing of said shaft.

2. In an ironing machine, a bed plate, a gear housing secured to said plate adjacent one end thereof, a roll extending inward over said plate from said housing, a bearing sleeve fixed at its outer end to said housing extending therefrom inward over said plate below and in back of said through said sleeve extending beyond the inner end thereof, a shoe cooperating with said roll mounted on said shaft adjacent the inner end of said sleeve for movement away from and toward said roll into pressure contact with articles being ironed, by rocking of said shaft, the latter and said sleeve being otherwise free from said bed plate and capable of transverse flexing when subjected to stress by the reaction of the pressure exerted by said shoe in the ironing operation, and stop means secured to said bed plate disposed in back of said sleeve and shaft and limiting rearward flexing thereof.

3. In an ironing machine, a support comprising a bed plate, a gear housing secured to said support adjacent one end thereof, a roll extending inward over said plate from said housing, a shoe operating shaft rockably mounted at its outer end in said support there confined against radial movement and extending inward therefrom over and adjacent said plate, a shoe cooperating with said roll mounted on said shaft remote from said outer end thereof for movement away from and toward said roll into pressure contact with articles being ironed, by rocking of said shaft, the latter being free from said bed plate at its inner end and subject to transverse stress in a direction away from said roll by the reaction of the pressure exerted by said shoe on articles being ironed, and stop means in rear of said sho shaft secured to said bed plate and effective for resisting stress to which said shaft is subjected by the reaction of the pressure exerted by said shoe on articles being ironed.

4. In an ironing machine, a support comprising a bed plate, a gear housing secured to said support adjacent one end thereof, a roll extending inward over said plate from said housing, a shoe operating shaft rockably mounted at its outer end in said support there confined against radial movement and extending inward therefrom over and adjacent said plate, a shoe cooperating with said roll mounted on said shaft remote from said outer end thereof for movement away from and toward said roll into pressure contact with articles being ironed, by rocking of said shaft, the latter being free from said bed plate at its inner end and subject to transverse stress in a direction away from said roll by the reaction of the pressure exerted by said shoe on articles being ironed, a stop member secured to said bed plate in back of said shaft, and yielding means confined between said stop member and said shaft effective for yieldingly resisting stress to which said shaft is subjected by the reaction of the pressure exerted by said shoe on articles being ironed.

FREDERICK K. MUELLER. 

